Graham was born in Truro and raised in the East End.

His father Don worked as a dispatch clerk at the CNR “Yard Office” Prince Street while his mother Joan worked at Hall’s Pharmacy for many years then Shoppers Drug Mart.

He attended Alice Street Elementary School, Douglas Street Elementary, Truro Junior High and Truro Senior High (Class of 1969).

He attended Brunswick Street United Church, Cubs and Scouts, Little League Baseball, Demolay and High School Golf.

As a teen Graham worked after school and weekends to make extra money doing odd jobs firstly at the Pool-dle Billiard Hall and then Carters’ Wallpaper, Paint and Giftshop at the corner of Prince and Walker Sts. In the late 1960’s he was the lead singer for “The Next-In-Line” Rock and Soul Band with Randy Crowell, Dave MacKinnon, Bobby Cormier and Kim Rogers.

Graham’s Class of 1969 Yearbook quotation reads as follows:

“A man of silence is a man of strength - Although he appears very quiet in class, Graham is well known by all. During his stay at TSHS he has made a friend of just about every one in the entire school. You can be sure Graham participates in all discussions, and now and then he will add a jest of humour to keep the ball rolling.” (Graham tried to remain that same person throughout his life).

After attending Truro Senior High School, he completed his 1st year of a Bachelor of Commerce Degree at St. Mary’s University, Halifax before joining the RCMP 8 February 1971.

After RCMP training at Regina, Saskatchewan he was posted to Manitoba where he stayed until 1991. During that time he had 11 locational transfers, consisting of uniform work, plain clothes, 1 year University of Winnipeg, supervisor at Cpl level twice, Detachment Commander Sgt. Level twice, and then Operational NCO as S/Sgt in Thompson. In 1991 he was commissioned by Queen Elizabeth the Second to the rank of Inspector and transferred to Headquarters Ottawa where he was in charge of The Multicultural Liaison Branch within Personnel Directorate. While there he was sent for fulltime French language training and became bilingual. His final posting was a secondment to the Solicitor General of Canada’s Aboriginal Policing Directorate who at that time were negotiating contracts between Canada and the First Nations as to what type of police service they desired.

During his uniform work Graham had directly worked with 11 First Nations within the Province of Manitoba among the Cree, Ojibway, Objiway-Cree, Dakota and Dene First nations and became the first Detachment Commander at a new northern detachment at God’s Lake First Nation. Graham had worked with several First Nation RCMP members and saw their value to the RCMP. During his time at the University of Winnipeg he took studies relative to First Nations then he became the RCMP Native Policing Coordinator for Manitoba. It resulted in Graham wanting to enhance policing for aboriginal communities within Canada.

Prior to moving to Ottawa Graham, along with Manitoba Commanding Officer Dale Henry, appeared before the Manitoba Aboriginal Justice Inquiry in Winnipeg where he gave a presentation on the RCMP policing of First Nations and their program for Aboriginal members.

During his service he received many external training accreditations including:

• Canadian National Railways - Track Motor Car Operator for the CNR tracks in the Hudson Bay Area of Manitoba


• Canadian Police College - Criminal Intelligence


• Canadian Police College - Gambling Investigations


• Canadian Police College - Instructional Techniques


• Canadian Police College - Senior Police Administration


• Canadian Police College - Commander for Hostage/Barricaded Persons

Graham received the following external recognitions:

• 1975 – Awarded “The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem Priory of Canada Certificate Award”, for assisting in reviving the life of a collapsed unconscious woman.


• 1979 - Nebraska Admiral Award by Gov. J. James Exon, Omaha Nebraska USA


• 1991 - Citation of Appreciation from the National Capital Region United Way Campaign as the lead for the RCMP.


• 1991 - Royal Proclamation from Queen Elizabeth II for his Commission to the rank of Inspector


• 1992 - RCMP Long Service Award


• 1992 - Canada 125 Medal

Graham was a past member of Commissioner Norman Inkster’s Multicultural Advisory Committee consisting of representatives from across Canada’s visible minorities. It travelled across Canada with meetings within a venue to improve relations and obtain input on how to recruit RCMP members from within their communities and how to serve them better. As well he was member of the Canadian Chiefs of Police Multicultural Committee.

Some of Graham’s duties did bring him to Nova Scotia:

• 1991 - attended the “Atlantic Visible Minority Policing Conference” in Halifax


• 1994 - assisted in the Solicitor General’s Aboriginal Policing Directorate contracts between Canada, and the policing of Indian Brook and Millbrook First Nations as well as attending the grand opening of Millbrook Detachment.


• 1995 - attended the 21 st G7 Summit in Halifax as part of the personal security of Prime Minister Sir John Major of Great Britain. He received recognition from Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau.

Graham represented the RCMP and Canada in the following countries: United States, Jamaica, and as requested by External Affairs, state police presentations in Costa Rico and Nicaragua.

After retiring in 1995 Graham worked part-time at the following endeavours:

• Province of Nova Scotia Private Investigator


• Mountain Golf and Country Club


• Equipment Manager for the Truro Junior “A” Bearcats Hockey Team (Maritime Junior A Hockey League) 3yrs


• Partner/Operator of “The Stadium Skate Shop” within the Truro Colchester Legion Stadium.


• Law Instructor, Scotia Career Academy, Lower Sackville, NS within their Correctional Officer Program.

In 2020 he was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder caused by an accumulation of events during his RCMP service. This was not a complete surprise, however, 2 years later he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease. It is believed the PTSD had some part in the Alzheimers.

Prior to that, he and his wife had watched both her parents go from independent living, assisted living, then palliative care and dying with Alzheimer’s, all within a 3-year period.

His wife Linda had been the primary caregiver for them prior to their death. Upon being diagnosed, Graham, had decided he would not let his wife and family go through that again nor did he want to, thus his decision for the planning and approval for Medical Assistance In Dying at a time he felt was appropriate.

Graham was the son of divorced parents Donald (d:1988) and Joan(d:1987) GEDDES(Smith), Truro and is survived by his soulmate and wonderful wife Linda (Giles) Brantford, Ont. whom he met when she was a Registered Nurse at Lynn Lake Hospital Manitoba during his first posting there, son Jeffrey (Lyndsay Bisson) (Cold Lake AB), daughters Pamela (Elmsdale, NS), Sandra (Shane Fulton), Truro, NS , his pride and joy, grandchildren Robbie, Aaron and Isabelle He has a brother, retired RCMP Supt. Jeff Geddes (Claudia Works), Ridgetown, Ont., sister Sharon (Shelley) Chambers (Nigel), Sidney, BC.

His retired years allowed him to relive the past with many of his childhood friends, who along with his family were also his laughter and life foundation during his 29-year retirement. It also allowed him to appreciate how lucky he was to be back home. During his travels he was always proud to say he was from Truro, Nova Scotia.